Thursday, 21 October 2010

Colic in Newborns

After nearly nine months of staying in the mother’s womb, an infant is finally brought out into the world. It is here that the job of both parents becomes challenging, as a baby will cry for more than three hours daily making it impossible to get the much-needed rest.
Doctors refer to the long excessive crying of a newborn as Colic. Until now, research is unable to pinpoint why this happens. There are various theories that explain this.
The first is when the baby ingests air during breastfeeding. Another claims that the infant is drinking too fast which leads to gastrointestinal pain. It is also possible that the food being eaten by the mother is the cause while some claim that the baby’s newborn’s immune system is not yet able to adapt to life outside the womb.
Regardless of what caused it, doctors believe that this is very common among newborn children. This means there is nothing to worry about since this will gradually disappear in the next few months.
Parents should take it as the first step in nurturing and caring for a child. Some believe that if this did not happen, the period of adjustment will be more difficult.
There is single solution to take care of a colic baby. Sometimes, this idea will work while at times it doesn’t. Here are some of the things that parents can try to find out if it works on the child.
1. If the newborn is in the crib, perhaps getting it out and holding or rocking it in one’s arms can do the trick. Sometimes singing a song is effective, as the baby will once again fall asleep.
2. Making the baby burp after breastfeeding can also prevent the infant from waking up.
3. The baby may be hungry so it is time to breastfeed. If the infant is full and the arms are sore from carry, maybe going for a ride in the car or in the carriage can make it go away.
4. The baby’s sensitivity to noise can make it wake up again and cry. This can be prevented by not making too sounds. Playing a CD of classical music can help make the infant get enough rest.
5. Giving the newborn a warm bath can also help it stop crying. The parent should make sure it is not too hot because this could be too much for the infant’s skin.
6. It is never too late to give the newborn a pacifier. This will make the baby think that it is still sucking onto the mother’s breast when it is feeding time.
7. Since Colic is associated with gas pains, the parents can also try using Simethicone drops, which has been proven to be effective for making the newborn stop crying.
8. Lastly, the mother should make some changes in the diet. This is because the food being consumed may produce gas, which is converted to milk and passes to the child.
Colic is nothing serious because it is not even classified as a disease or a disorder. It is part of the growing phase of becoming a parent until the newborn is able to stand and even speak for itself. This is just one of the many challenges that anyone will face should the couple decide to have a family.